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LONDON, England - What Car? magazine has named the new Jaguar XE as the best compact executive saloon car on sale after it eclipsed the BMW 3 Series to become class leader during an exclusive test.

The Jaguar XE is on sale now with the first customers receiving their cars in May 2015. To date only What Car? has been entrusted to test the car in the UK against its major rival.

During testing, the XE stood out for its exceptional running costs, brilliant handling, comfortable ride and generous standard kit.

INCREDIBLE RESULT

The XE is designed and built in Britain and is the centrepiece of Jaguar’s bid to double its global sales in 2015. In 2013, parent company Jaguar Land Rover announced £1.5-bn of investment and the creation of more than 2000 jobs as part of ambitious plans to accelerate growth.

The XE will be built in Solihull and powered by engines built in Wolverhampton - two neighbouring towns in the English Midlands.

What Car?'s editor Jim Holder said: “For Jaguar to come in and beat a well-established rival as strong as the BMW 3 Series first time out is quite incredible. Against BMW, Jaguar is a minnow in terms of sales and R&D investment, but the commitment shown by owner Tata has been well rewarded with the XE.

"The British car industry is booming – and after putting the XE through our exhaustive test back-to-back with the 3 Series we’ve no doubt that Jaguar is about to accelerate that success story. It’s an exciting time for the UK motor industry; this is yet another model being built here and exported around the world.

"Jaguar Land Rover is at the forefront of a British manufacturing success story.”

Under Tata Motor’s stewardship, JLR says, the fortunes of both brands have soared to record sales through 2014.

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